Information on Identity Theft - When to Suspect Yours is Stolen

We are bombarded daily with emails, mail and phone calls. An occasional odd call or contact can leave us feeling uneasy but we may be quick to dismiss it. When should we be concerned? What are the signs that we may be the target of an identity thief?

Bills are never late, though we wish they were

One thing that should arouse your suspicion is if your regular bills don’t arrive on time. You may not notice this right away, but as soon as you become aware that you haven’t received one or more of your bills, you need to investigate. Call the company and check to see if someone has changed the mailing address for the bill. An identity thief may have stolen your mail from your mailbox.

Bills for Unknown Purchases

Other causes for concern: you receive a call or letter from a debt collection agency or a company saying that you owe for merchandise or services that you did not purchase. Or, the debt is on an account in your name that you didn’t open. Either way, a contact like this indicates the likelihood that someone has accessed your account or has managed to set up a new account in your name.

Strange transactions on financial statements

You may receive a statement from a financial institution that shows that there are transactions on your account that you did not make. Or you might receive credit card statements on an account that you don’t have, or even a call from a credit company telling you that you have been approved (or denied) for a card that you did not apply for. In each of these cases, you should suspect identity theft and investigate immediately.

Surprisingly denied credit?

A similar concern might arise when you apply for a credit card and are turned down because of a poor credit rating. You might be approved for the credit but with less favorable conditions, like a higher interest rate, than you had expected. If you have maintained a good rating and know of no reason why it would be poor, this can be an indicator that a thief has been using accounts in your name and run up a debt.

What to do if you suspect a case of stolen identity

In all these circumstances, you will want to immediately contact one of the three credit reporting bureaus and whichever one you contact must notify the other two. They are: TransUnion, at 1-800-680-7289; Equifax at 1-800-525-6285; and Experian, 1-888-397-3742. Ask for a copy of your credit report and examine it closely. Look for any transactions that you did not authorize. If you find suspicious activity, you will need to take immediate steps to minimize the damage that an identity thief can cause.

Be proactive with Identity Theft protection

Don’t wait until you suspect identity theft. Be on the look-out for scammers. Monitor your accounts. Request a copy of your credit report on a regular basis and check it carefully. Make sure you have anti-spyware and anti-virus programs on your computer and that they run frequently. Be wise about sharing your personal information. Protecting your identity is easier than reclaiming it.